Well Met
by Jasmin Kaiba
Summary: He returned after ten years absence and found his beloved village changed beyond belief. But one pink-haired medic helps him get used to the changes and he realizes that some things are just meant to be. Number V in Tidbits. Please R&R KakaSaku
1. Chapter 1

**WELL MET**

_**by Jasmin Kaiba**_

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><p><strong>Part I<strong>

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><p>He'd left the village, his home, ten years ago, on the longest and hardest undercover mission of his carrier. Now he was finally back.<p>

Looking at the imposing red and green gates of Konohagakure no Sato, Hatake Kakashi asked himself if the transition from civilian back to shinobi would be as hard as the opposite had been, a decade ago. Deciding that he could mull over it when he met the new Hokage and reported in the office, the Copy Ninja took a deep breath and crossed the threshold to the village.

The two chuunin at the gatehouse merely spared him a glance as he walked in, the hitai-ate sporting the leaf over his left eye identified him as one of them. A Konoha ninja, something he hadn't felt like in over eight years.

The hardest part of his mission had been seven years ago when his ninken had come back after delivering the monthly report with the black message about an attack and the death of the Sandaime. He'd wanted nothing more than to rush back to his home, help where he could, pledge his loyalty to the new Hokage. But he couldn't. The council of the elders had ordered him to stay and finish the mission, or at least till the Godaime was appointed and made the decision. Weeks later a bird had landed on his window, in the middle of the night, carrying a message from Princess Tsunade, Godaime Hokage of Konoha, telling him to stay put, and keep reporting as before, the mission was of very high importance.

And now it was over. He didn't want to think about it anymore.

He still knew the village like the back of his hand, that would never change. A Konoha ninja would always be a Konoha ninja, no matter what. Several missing nin throughout the history have proven that. Their sense of loyalty and duty may be gone, but they could never truly let go of Konoha. Oroshimaru too, in a twisted way. His desperate trying to destroy the village was enough proof.

The market place was bustling as he made his way through it, to the Hokage tower, it was the afternoon, but the vendors didn't even think about closing, with the gates wide open welcoming any visitor, the business was bound to be good. The whole village had a sense of peace to it. That was not something Kakashi had expected upon his return. The loss of the Sandaime still weighted heavily on him, but it seemed that the new Hokage was doing her job well. And that was all he could ask for.

He reached the tower in record time, being deep in thought while walking always made him reach his destination faster, since nothing came up to distract him, and that was, in a way, good. The winding staircase up the tower was as long as before, but he was far too happy to be home, for it to damper his mood at all.

A few shinobi passed by him every now and then, either coming down or up, doing their jobs with the ever-present efficiency.

Then two young men came down the stairs, walking past him, silently talking. One had his hands deep in his pockets and slouched his shoulders with a look of extreme boredom in his dark eyes; his hair was up in a spiky ponytail on top of his head. The son of the head of the Nara Clan, Kakashi recognized. He looked exactly like his father. But it was the other man that almost stopped him dead in his tracks. This one was much livelier, compared to his comrade, his sunshine colored hair and bright grin were blatantly attention grabbing, but it was his face that had Kakashi transfixed. Save for the whisker-like markings on his tanned cheeks, the boy looked exactly like the Yondaime Hokage, Kakashi's mentor and substitute father, Namikaze Minato. Only one person could bear such resemblance to the youngest Hokage ever, his son, the Kyuubi jinchuriki, Uzumaki Naruto.

Going up the stairs and doing the math silently, Kakashi decided that Naruto was 21 years old. How the young grow up. Faster and faster every day.

Reaching the top of the stairs, Kakashi entered the fore room to the Hokage's office and was greeted by a pretty dark-haired woman in a yukata and high heels. Kunoichi these days, Kakashi sighed, but crinkled his eye at the woman, smiling friendly. She returned his smile, pleasantly enough.

"May I help you?" she asked with a smile and he relaxed a little. Maybe the new Hokage isn't as bad as the rumors had said.

"Yes," he rubbed the back of his head awkwardly, he wasn't used to introducing himself to his own comrades, and he was known enough to avoid that. "I'm Hatake Kakashi, just back from a mission. I think the Hokage is expecting me."

The kunoichi smiled wider and nodded. "Yes, Tsunade-sama is waiting for you. Go right in."

"Thanks," he smiled again, and moved to the double doors, opening the right one with a light knock.

That turned out to be a mistake as he came face to face with two scowling kunoichi, one sandy-blond, the other pink-haired. Kakashi laughed nervously and looked from one woman to the other before deciding to introduce himself.

"I'm Hatake Kakashi; you're expecting me, Hokage-sama."

That was a mistake as well, when the pink-haired woman's eyes narrowed even more and she snapped at him. "Expecting or not, it's impolite to enter without being called in! Show some respect to the Hokage!"

Kakashi shrank visibly back and wondered if his time as a civilian had killed some of the fearlessness, he had been famous for. It was, after all, unheard of for the Copy Ninja to be afraid of a girl almost two feet shorter and only half the age of himself. To his credit though, the girl was fierce and as intimidating as the Hokage who was a Legendary Sennin, maybe even more so, since Tsunade was the classic sort of woman, petite and voluptuous, and the younger one was exotic and displayed the deadly femininity of a kunoichi with toned, slightly muscled arms, and long graceful legs that could no doubt cost a man his head, figuratively and literary.

"Calm down, Sakura," the Hokage waved off. "Hatake was never known for his manners after all. To be honest I am surprised he managed to come on schedule. I almost bet Shizune he would turn up tomorrow at the earliest. That would've been one more loss."

"And possibly good news," the younger kunoichi sighed. "You just won a free pass for the new spa, shishou." She pulled out a colorful slip of paper and handed it to the Hokage. The blond woman scowled at the pass as her apprentice continued, "The last time you won something, Genma's team was almost killed and Neji-san stayed in the hospital for two months. After you lost that bet with me on Naruto, I killed an Akatsuki member and came back alive, Gaara-sama was brought back to life, and Naruto managed to defeat the mad bomber, Deidara."

Kakashi raised a brow at this. Tsunade was known for her bad luck in gambling, but that her winning somehow translated into something bad... well, that seemed a little over the top.

"What sorts of missions have been given out, Sakura?" Tsunade asked her apprentice, but waved Kakashi in, and he closed the door, softly before moving closer to the desk.

The pinkette shuffled through some papers before pulling out one and studying it. "Hmm... Three D-ranked for the genin teams, you remember, Konohamaru complained up a storm again."

The mentioned genin seemed to be a mutual source of annoyance, because both women scowled and Tsunade shook her head. Neither paid any attention to the masked man and he decided to remain invisible for the time being, his most important policy had been to keep his hide safe if he could. Pissing of two potentionaly dangerous kunoichi seemed rather counterproductive to that.

"I don't understand that brat," countered Tsunade, taking a look at the scroll Sakura presented her, the list of D-ranked missions and snorted when she realized that there were more missions than genin. Great, she'd have to give them to chuunin, and will never hear the end of it. "He's seventeen and still a genin," she continued, pushing the scroll away with a grimace. "Why doesn't he just work harder on the chuunin exams?"

"Because the only thing in his empty head is how to beat Naruto in that disastrous Sexy no Jutsu idiocy of theirs!" the young medic snapped, slamming another scroll on the table without care.

"Weren't you a little too rough on him during the last exam, Sakura?" the Hokage questioned with a sly look in her amber eyes. She averted her gaze when the younger woman scowled something fierce and leaned down further.

"I was too lenient on the pervert! I should have given him the Jiraiya treatment! The only thing I asked him was how he stood with illusions and he had the nerve to use the Sexy no Jutsu! That I sent him flying from the examination room is mild to what I would've done to Naruto for it!"

Tsunade nodded and leaned her chin on intertwined fingers and met Sakura's hard gaze head on. "It was the wrong thing to do, yes. But that was an illusion as well."

"It wasn't!" Sakura growled and straightened. "The Sexy no Jutsu is a disgustingly glorified Henge no Jutsu! It has nothing to do with genjutsu! The art of genjutsu would lose all its glory if things like that perverse idiocy spawned from it!"

"Yes, yes, I know," Tsunade waved her off. "Genjutsu is holy land for you, I get it. Just don't let your medic studies suffer under your passion for illusionary warfare."

The pinkette huffed and threw her hair over her shoulder with a twist of her wrist. A genjutsu user. Konoha hasn't seen any truly gifted ones since the Uchiha Clan, and Kakashi was truly curious about the girl. She, on the other hand seemed more interested in a staring match with the blonde Hokage.

"Now," the Hokage looked away from her apprentice and to the list of missions lying on the table. "About the mission roster. How many S and A class?"

Sakura picked up the list and her eyes flew over it. "No S. Two As. Nothing too major, just some good old spying. Most to the members of the Hyuuga Clan."

Tsunade gave her surrogate daughter a sour look before leaning her heavy head on her fist. "We all know how those spying missions can end up. Wasn't your team ambushed on one just last week?"

Sakura didn't appreciate being called out, not even by her shishou. "That was Naruto's entire fault. The idiot couldn't keep quiet long enough and we were discovered in the middle of enemy territory. We took them out fast enough and without any trouble, they weren't higher leveled than chuunin, if even that."

The blonde slowly nodded her head, but then seemed to remember something. "But Naruto came back here black and blue and bleeding, he spent three days in the hospital."

Her student grinned and Tsunade rolled her eyes, already knowing the answer. "That was me. One of the ambushers grabbed my butt; needless to say, I smashed his skull in. And since it was Naruto's fault we were attacked in the first place, well, it was punishment. And I _begged_ you to just send Sai and me. I thought you knew how it ends up with Naruto on recon missions."

"Yes, yes, never again. Now," she turned to the masked Jounin waiting patiently in the corner. "Hatake, how long were you gone?"

Kakashi, startled, tore his eyes from Sakura's behind and forced his mind out of the gutter, thanking whatever power was up there that the object of his fantasies hadn't noticed his attention. Smiling sheepishly he met the Hokage's knowing gaze and felt heat rush up to his cheeks, fortunately it wasn't visible beneath his mask. "Ten years Hokage-sama."

Tsunade shook her head at the man's antics but dropped it for the moment; she was used to Sakura being a men-magnet. "Ten years, huh? Well, it's good to have you back, Hatake. The village has been feeling your absence gravely, especially during the Sound/Sand attack when the Sandaime died." All three of them dropped their eyes and prayed once more for the former Hokage's soul. "Anyway," the woman continued, "Your last report said that everything went according to plan and I received all the information we'd needed. As it is, your mission is over, you'll be given two weeks to settle in again, and rest, I guess. I'd give you more time, but we need you, I'm sure you understand. Now Sakura will accompany you to the hospital and see that you're given a physical check up as well as a conversation with the counselor, and then you're free to do as you wish. Sakura please do the physical yourself, I don't want him being uncomfortable with a male medic or a female giggling over him and not doing their job."

The pinkette nodded, "Yes, shishou," used to giving physicals to top-grade shinobi due to her position and the trust Tsunade put in her. Kakashi on the other hand blanched. While he certainly didn't want a man touching him anywhere below the waist and prior experience had him running from female medics as fast as his legs could carry him, he would put up with any of it if it meant that _Sakura_, who sparked an interest of sexual nature came nowhere near his unclothed body. He wasn't sure if he could control his body's reaction in such a position, and if anything happened... Both the cause of it and the Hokage would tear him apart.

But the young medic was already at the door, waiting for him. Asking the Hokage for another medic would probably insult the pinkette and he'd be beaten black and blue. Great. With a great sigh, he followed her out the door and missed the sly smirk forming on Tsunade's face.

Sakura needed to relax, only way to do it, make sure the girl got laid. Hatake was damn sexy, even she would admit it and if the way he was looking at Sakura was any indication, well he wouldn't have any qualms doing the honor. And Sakura was easy to seduce once a guy figured out how to do it. But if Inuzuka Kiba could do it, than Hatake Kakashi wouldn't have any trouble.

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><p>With a deep slouch and hands stuck in his pockets, Kakashi followed Sakura out of the Hokage tower and towards the hospital on the other side of the street. Walking behind her down the stairs of the tower, he'd nearly collided with her back as she'd stopped and he noticed almost too late due to trying not to look at her legs. She'd stopped at the approach of Hyuuga Hiashi, the head of the Clan, followed by his nephew, Neji. Sakura'd bowed to the elder shinobi respectfully, while he nodded his head, and the younger man bowed as deep as Sakura had. Kakashi hadn't missed how the young Hyuuga's milky eyes glued themselves to Sakura's face.<p>

Then he'd almost fallen over as Hiashi, almost casually asked, "Have you thought about my proposition, Sakura-san? Neji is still waiting and I can promise you that you will become the wife of the future Clan Head. This is not something to refuse."

But the girl'd just giggled and brushed the older man off. "I'm sorry, Hiashi-sama, but my answer still stands. I'm not ready to marry yet, and I don't feel that way for Neji-san. But I'm sure some other girl will be thrilled to have the honor of becoming Neji-san's bride. Maybe Tenten-chan? Neji-san knows her well."

Hiashi'd scoffed at that. "That girl is not fit to lead our Clan. She might be a formidable kunoichi, but she lacks grace and good breeding. You, on the other hand, Sakura-san, are beautiful, intelligent, sophisticated, an excellent kunoichi and that the Hokage sees you as her own daughter doesn't hurt either. You'd be an asset to the Clan." Sakura had laughed and excused them, after saying that if she ever thought she could feel for Neji like that, she'd take them up on their offer.

"Hatake-san?" her voice shook his from his thoughts and he flinched before somewhat composing himself.

"Yes?" She somehow didn't strike him like a woman who would tolerate anything but actual words for answers.

"Is that slouching of yours a permanent health condition, or are you simply refusing to stand straight?"

Squirming a bit uncomfortably, he looked at her back and shrugged. "It's not permanent."

He saw her nod. "Good. But it _will_ become permanent if you continue doing it. You're not all that tall, so stop it. Jiraiya-sama is much taller and he's always showing off his height. Such a posture is unbecoming of a shinobi of your status anyway, Hatake-san."

"I don't really care about such things." It sounded lame to his own ears.

"That's nice; at least I know you're not obsessed with your status like so many others. But it still doesn't mean you should walk around like that, you might give people the wrong impression. Oh, and you'll give me a wrong impression if you continue staring at my backside like that. It's rude."

That almost stopped him dead in his tracks and he tore his treacherous eye from the enticing sight of her swaying hips and focused them on his own shoes. Fighting down a blush while trying not to choke on his own tongue he somehow regained enough composure to attempt an apology. Attempt being the key word.

"I'm sorry... I didn't... I mean, I wouldn't... I-I-I... I'm sorry," he breathed out, ashamed of his own behavior.

She just giggled and turned a sparkling smile his way. This time he couldn't beat down the blush rising on his cheeks. "It's alright, Hatake-san, I'm just joking with you. But someone like Naruto might see it and then you'd be beaten without a warning. He's a bit overprotective."

For a moment, he just stared at her, uncomprehending, till he caught her words and cleared his throat, grasping the chance to change the subject. "Uh, you know Uzumaki Naruto?"

The pinkette nodded and continued on, with him a step behind her, still slouching casually. "Oh yeah. Do I know him. He was my teammate when we were fresh out of academy. He and Uchiha Sasuke. Naruto was the bane of my existence and I was the bane of Sasuke's. He's still my teammate. Now we have Sai, since Sasuke defected almost nine years ago. Naruto's my best friend now, my brother. We actually got along just fine when he finally gave up on that crush he had on me when we were twelve. He's a great guy, a stunning shinobi, one day he'll be the Hokage."

Kakashi took in the information without much of a reaction. The Hokage's apprentice teamed up with the Kyuubi Jinchuriki and the last Uchiha, very fitting. So the young Uchiha abandoned Konoha in the end. It didn't surprise Kakashi. He'd never met Uchiha Itachi's brother, but he'd heard enough to know that the boy was obsessed with revenge. He'd gotten it too. The news of Itachi's demise by the younger Uchiha's hands had even reached Kakashi. Maybe now Sasuke could be free of that burden. But he doubted it. He boy still hasn't returned after all. Sakura's voice broke through his thoughts.

"How do you know Naruto?"

Still lost in his musings, he didn't think about what he blurted out. "Oh, I don't know him. The Yondaime was my sensei."

When he realized what he'd just said, he lifted his head, but Sakura was walking in front of him calmly. "Yeah, Naruto's dad. Must have been great having someone like him as your sensei."

He stunned for the part of a second. "How do you know that?"

She turned to him with a sly smirk on her face and winked. "It just stares us in the face. When Naruto's up there," she pointed to the Hokage monument behind the tower, "they'll look like twins. And Tsunade-shishou told Naruto the truth years ago. He was really happy to finally know who his parents were. Even though he'd suspected it for a while. He might be slow and oblivious and sometimes more than dense, but he's not stupid."

"I see," was Kakashi's only answer as he trudged behind her and pondered how the hell it was possible that every knew generation got smarter and smarter. He loved the Yondaime, always had, like he'd loved his father for all his faults and mistakes, but Minato wasn't very sharp, despite being one of the best shinobi Kakashi had ever had the honor of meeting, himself and his father, the White Fang, included.

If Minato had been in his son's place, he wouldn't have put two and two together and come up with the most logical explanation. He probably would have wondered about someone he'd never met looking so much like him and chalked it up to the old saying that everyone has a doppelganger somewhere. That was one thing Kakashi still had some trouble believing in, mostly because he'd seen most of the world and its inhabitants and had never met someone who even looked remotely like him or anyone he knew, family members excluded, of course. Minato would have used his son's likeness to him to prove his theory. And that brought Kakashi back to the original problem, Naruto.

He wanted to meet the boy, to talk to him and maybe try to explain what Minato had done and why. Even if he himself didn't understand it.

The Yondaime had sacrificed his life and essentially his son's life as well to save Konoha. That was very noble and completely selfless of him. But he'd done it just as Kakashi had learned that the lives of comrades and loved ones are meant to be put above everything else, even the village itself. With his act, Minato had saved Konoha, but he'd also negated everything he'd tried so hard to teach Kakashi. He'd simply sacrificed his son's life and happiness for the village. It was the opposite of what he'd taught Kakashi after Obito's death.

Shaking his head, the Copy Ninja abandoned his depressing line of thought and concentrated on the alluring kunoichi in front of him. What an amazingly interesting woman. Maybe this check-up wouldn't be so bad after all; she's just made him interested in her personality just as much as her absolutely perfect body and he'd only seldom met a woman who could do that. Usually it was either one or the other, almost never both, but now...

Well, he now had something to look forward to the next two weeks.

"Say, Sakura-san," he started with more confidence than before, intent on making her interested in spending some time with him. "I've been absent for a whole decade and even though I still know this village like the back of my hand, I'm afraid that many things have changed and I was hoping, that you as the only person that I know right now would be kind enough to help me out in the days to come."

She turned around and smiled at him, obviously not displeased with his straightforward request. "Sure, Hatake-san. I'll be happy to help you out in any way I can." Then she smiled wilder and winked slyly at him. "That is if you can look me in the eye after the check-up we're heading to."

He laughed and shook his head, finally losing all the tension from his trip and the conversation in the Hokage's office. "Just call me Kakashi, I dislike such formal addressing. And as for the check up, you don't have to worry about it. I'm a grown man with many experiences, and as a shinobi, these come from every possible situation. I'm comfortable in my skin and confident in my sexual orientation. And I've had more of those check-ups than you in your entire life. But you'll have to excuse me and not hold it against me, if I'm suddenly standing at attention before you."

Her laugh was as beautiful as her smile and she graced him with a mischievous twinkle in her enchanting viridian eyes that would have brought a lesser man to his knees. "Okay, Kakashi-san. You're on! I promise to be completely professional about it and make it as painless as possible. And I won't hold it against you, don't worry. I've seen enough of it to understand that it's a reaction you can't always control. Besides, I'm a medic, I know enough about the human anatomy and how it works to look at all of it like a textbook example and not be phased by it."

"Good to know, " he laughed and prayed that he wouldn't sprout an erection in front of her no matter what. When he did, he wanted her to look at him like a man and be amazed and aroused, which wouldn't be the fact in this situation which they were about to encounter.

"Well here we are, please follow me," Sakura smiled at him again as she led through the double doors of the hospital's entrance and down the spacious lobby to the elevators.

It was going to be a long day, he just knew it.

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><p>The physical had gone off well, as well as an invasion of his utmost privacy by a stunning young woman could go, considering everything.<p>

Sakura had in fact been completely professional and impersonal and had done her job quickly and efficiently without him feeling violated, much. He for his part had tried to meditate or numb his awareness somehow, but it hadn't worked for the most part. Despite that, he hadn't become aroused by her clinical professional touch and had successfully avoided thinking of her as anything but a medic doing her job. That at least had saved him some embarrassment and he'd probably see more of Sakura after behaving accordingly than in the case he hadn't.

Now they were sitting in a small, quaint teahouse with cups of steaming white ginger tea and some dango while she told him whatever he wanted to know about the village and the people he'd known before his decade long mission and he tried to drink tea without removing his mask.

At first she'd just laughed at his attempts, because he'd been forced to remove the mask during the physical and she'd seen his 'cute little face' together with his 'cute little butt' stark naked and in great detail, but he'd vehemently refused to remove it and she'd come to the conclusion that he disliked showing people his beyond handsome features.

She'd managed to school her face at the sight of his perfect body and chiseled face that rivaled a Grecian god, but she'd never forget those high cheekbones, perfectly straight Roman nose and those sinfully full lips and the little dimple in his chin that together with his droopy charcoal grey eye formed a face that oozed sexiness. If she'd thought he was attractive with the mask and fully clothed, now she thought of him as a walking, talking orgasm. The man didn't have to be good in bed, with his looks and voice he'd bring any woman to a climax in a matter of seconds.

"So," he started another conversation after he'd finally got her to stop nagging about his mask. Why women were so fascinated by a simple piece of dark cloth, he'd never understand. "At least I know that I'll sleep on a park bench tonight and am not imagining a bed waiting for me where there is none. And I really don't know what it more pathetic."

The beautiful medic heaved a slightly amused sigh as she shot him a semi dirty look. Before coming to the teahouse, they'd gone to his old apartment building in some hope that his one-room shed was waiting for him. But it'd been re-leased and all his things were stored somewhere in the Hokage Tower. Coincidentally enough, due to the Spring Festival that would begin in a few weeks the two Inns Konoha had to offer were booked out thanks to the merchants that were arriving for the festival. So Kakashi had nowhere to go. Or at least he thought he didn't have anywhere to go.

"You won't be sleeping on a park bench, baka. My parents are dead, the house they left is huge, there is more than enough room for you, don't worry."

For a moment, he looked at her with relief, but then a mischievous smirk broke out under that damned mask. "Well, sorry for imposing than. I'll be borrowing your couch tonight."

She laughed and shook her head before taking a bite of dango that he refused to even touch, claiming he hated sweets. His loss in her opinion. "You won't be imposing, like I said I'm alone in that huge house. And you won't be sleeping on the couch, though I can testify on how comfy it is. There are three spare rooms for you choose, and they all have nice big beds that are just waiting for someone to sleep in them. Tomorrow, we'll go and look for a new place for you. A one bedroom apartment in the house my friend Ino lives in has just gotten free and the prices there are reasonable, the rooms are nice and the land lady is sweet and loveable."

"Sounds perfect," he nodded, before raising his cup to clink it against hers. They both laughed and Sakura felt like she'd known this man her whole life and not just one day. It was the beginning of a wonderful friendship and if they didn't prove to both be total morons maybe something deeper and better still.

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><p><strong>AN: The beginning of this was posted as number V in Tidbits, if some of you remember. It got some really positive feedback so I decided to continue with this. So this is the first chapter since it got away with me and became so long on its own.**

**Well either way I hope you like it and will at least give it a chance. Please do tell me what you think about it. Constructive criticism is always welcomed and encouraged.**

**Thank you for reading,**

**Jasmin Kaiba**


	2. Chapter 2

**Part II**

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><p>"Okay, it looks a little different from what I've imagined," said Kakashi slowly as he looked around the one-bedroom apartment Sakura had taken him to see that morning.<p>

"It looks a _lot_ different from what I've imagined," retorted the pink-haired medic and looked around the shed with growing anger and disgust. "I'm gonna murder Ino."

The Copy Ninja laughed a little as he regarded his companion. Just an hour ago as they sat at breakfast in her kitchen after a rather enjoyable night in her spare room, she'd been gushing how her friend Ino had described the small apartment and that it was going to be perfect for him.

Too bad that the reality was far from what either of them had thought they would find here. The apartment, if one could even call it that, was a one room shed with a tiny kitchenette in one corner, a bed in the other and a door leading to a mini-bathroom. And that wasn't the worst of it. The entire thing smelled of something rotten, dirt and garbage was everywhere and the walls looked like someone had puked all over them. If he took this 'apartment' he'd have to scrub it from floor to ceiling with disinfect before moving in.

"Oh, come on," he tried to cheer the angry girl up. "It's not as bad as it looks. I'm sure with a little bit cleaning and dusting, it'd be great."

She threw him a dry look before crossing her arms under her bosom. "It's not as bad as it looks. It's _worse_! Gods Kakashi, there's no way a normal human being could live here, least of all a shinobi! Sure it can be cleaned and everything, but by the time you're done renovating this place, you'll be on the active roster again, and what you need now is rest! Besides with all the money you'd need for this dirt hole to look inhabitable you could _buy_ a normal apartment!"

"So I guess I won't be taking it," he concluded, tearing his eye away from her breasts before she noticed him staring.

"Of course not! Come on, we're going!" Sakura took his hand and dragged him out into the hall where the sweet old land-lady was waiting with a smile on her small wrinkled face.

"Do you like the apartment?" she asked them pleasantly, not noticing the homicidal look in Sakura's eyes.

Kakashi tried to answer before the medic, but she didn't give him a chance as she scowled even deeper and propped her hands on her hips. "We don't like it!" she snapped and looked at the wall like a pouting child.

The land-lady looked at her with confusion and disappointment in her grey eyes. "So you won't to be taking it?"

"Of course we won't be taking it! Kakashi, let's go!" And Sakura stalked angrily off while Kakashi bowed and apologized to the old lady for his companions rudeness.

She just smiled at him and waved him away with a good-natured comment that had blood rushing to his cheeks. "You sure have a temperamental wife, young man."

"Kakashi!" Sakura called from the stairs and he rushed to her, willing his face to cool as he muttered under his breath, "I wouldn't be looking for an apartment if she were my wife!"

"Did you say something?"

"Who? Me?" he feigned ignorance as Sakura looked at him questioningly. "No, I didn't say anything."

She nodded, but eyed him sceptically as she descended the stairs. "Okay. Well let's go buy a newspaper. We'll find you place, don't worry."

"I'm not worried."

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><p>The rest of the day was spent house-hunting.<p>

After leaving the 'dirt-hole', as Sakura liked to refer to it, the two of them had fetched a newspaper and sat down in a coffee shop to peruse the information on renting apartments. Well, Sakura was looking for said info, while Kakashi leafed through the society pages, intent on finding out everything he'd missed during his absence from Konoha.

Sakura had had luck in her search and after drinking their coffee and arguing about who'd get the bill, they'd set out for the first apartment...

At the beginning, they'd been optimistic and enthusiastic. But after three apartments where there were at least five things that shouldn't include in a place for rent or sell for that matter, Sakura had started grumbling and her mood had only worsened as the day went by and they found absolutely nothing that they liked. Or _she_ liked, to be more accurate.

Kakashi had given up on reminding her that they were looking for a place for _him_ and that she wouldn't have to live there, after the second apartment and had kept quiet while she criticized every place they came to and argued with the land lords. Every and each of those aforementioned men and women commented something along the lines of him having his wife/girlfriend/harpy under control and that her temper shouldn't be allowed to reign over her.

The Copy Ninja doubted he'd have much luck in controlling the fierce kunoichi even if she were his girlfriend or wife. He didn't want to think about the harpy comment. He just thanked whatever deity that she hadn't heard it, or some of those innocent civilians wouldn't be alive or at least healthy anymore.

Ten apartments and eight hours later Sakura had finally found a place she liked. Kakashi was just happy that there wouldn't be anymore walking around for the day. The rent was sensible in his opinion, but the apartment needed a 'freshening up' as Sakura said and she proceeded to argue with the landlord about it. In the end the man had given in and Kakashi wouldn't have to pay the rent for the first month and the land-lord would cover the cost for the cleaning materials.

As the man existed the apartment he'd just rented to the young temperamental medic and her companion, he turned around and said, "I hope you two will be happy here," with a broad grin.

Sakura had looked at him in confusion, before candidly replaying, "I'm not going to live here, just him," and pointed to Kakashi who looked embarrassed.

That had shocked the land-lord. "You mean, you're not his wife?"

At that the pink-haired beauty burst out laughing. "Wife? We're barely friends! I met him just yesterday. Why would you even think that?"

"Never mind, never mind," mumbled the surprised man as he exited the apartment, muttering something about "shinobi these days," along the way.

"Is that man an idiot or what?" asked Sakura Kakashi as they were left alone.

The Copy Ninja didn't know whether to laugh or shake his head at her naivety, but decided against both, since he wouldn't want to provoke her into punching him, or worse. "Well, he'd just come to the same conclusion as all the others till now."

"What do you mean?"

"Sakura, all this time you've been acting like we're looking for a place to live _together_, and that man wasn't the first one that had assumed we were married, or at least in a relationship."

The pink-haired kunoichi stood there looking at him like he'd just told her that Tsunade had never once tasted alcohol in her life. For a second he felt sorry for her, but it vanished as her surprise turned to anger. He'll do good to never forget that temperament of hers.

But before she could go off and destroy something in her wake, her anger diminished and she made a placating gesture with her hands, nodding her head and taking a deep breath. "You know what? It doesn't matter what they all think. If I behaved like that, so be it. Even if I didn't, it's no big deal. At least people will stop assuming I'm secretly into dogs."

"Dogs?" asked Kakashi incredulously, and pulled a grimace when a very disturbing image flew before his mind's eyes. Okay no Icha Icha Violence for at least a few months.

"Yes, dogs," nodded his beautiful companion. "Some people are really sick in the head. And the worst thing is, the rumor stemmed from a civilian. If it had been a ninja telling such fabricated nonsense I wouldn't have been surprised. A few lose screws up there is a job hazard after all. But that bitch was just jealous because Kiba was interested in me and not in her. What _I_ saw in _Kiba_ on the other hand, is a different matter altogether that I'll never be able to explain."

The Copy Ninja nodded thoughtfully and smirked as he looked at her studying the peeling off paint in the main room critically. "You know, the term 'bitch' is compliment when it comes to dogs."

"What do you mean?"

"Well I have eight ninken, seven of them are male. The leader of the pack... Well that's me, for obvious reasons, but the first _dog_ in the pack is Pakkun and only his mate has the honor of being called a bitch. If I ever marry, that honor will go over to my wife, who will become the female alpha of the pack," he elaborated, watching her absorb the new information with interest.

"That makes sense, somehow. Huh, I wonder how 'bitch' got translated into an insult," muttered the pink-haired kunoichi.

"I have no idea."

* * *

><p>"Okay, so we have everything we need to make your new place shine like new!" enthused Sakura brightly after she'd successfully bullied Kakashi's land-lord into accompanying them to buy renovation materials and paying for them. The Copy Ninja had spend last night in Sakura's house too, since in his new apartment there were only floors, walls and bath and kitchen appliances, so he obviously couldn't be expected to sleep there.<p>

Now they were back in the freshly rented room and Sakura was making a list of needed to be done. Kakashi had been afraid that it would be a long list, but it turned out to be longer then the both of them were expecting. So they stood there gazing at the seemingly endless scroll Sakura held in her slightly shaking hands with dread filling them.

"I have a hospital shift from three to midnight," whispered the medic, and they looked at her wrist watch. It was eight. They had four hours till she needed to get ready for work.

"And I have the feeling that I won't be finished with this even after I'm back on the active roster," mumbled Kakashi, bidding his two weeks of rest goodbye. He would consider himself lucky if he got two hours of rest till he had to go on missions again. His civilian life of the past decade had so much more comfortable and relaxed.

"No!" exclaimed his companion and pumped her delicate fist in the air. "We simply need help and I know a lot of people who would love to give us a hand, with a little persuasion... I'll take tomorrow off, too so we might finish all this by the end of the week. You need your rest and I'm not willing on working yourself into a stupor over a stupid apartment and then going out on high ranking missions." With that she pushed the scroll into his hand and turned towards the door.

"Where are you going?" he asked somewhat panicked.

She just flashed him a smile and opened the door. "I'll be back in twenty minutes, why don't you unpack everything we need to start repainting the walls? I'm going to get us our free help!" Then she was gone and Kakashi looked at the closed door, the list in his hand and the mountain of supplies by his feet. It was going to be a long day...

True to her word, twenty minutes later, Sakura was back with fourteen people in tow.

Kakashi watched in mute amazement as one after another they filled up the tiny main-room of his apartment. Wow, he didn't know what kind of persuasion she used, but if he ever needed a partner for a diplomatic mission he would demand the pink-haired medic.

He recognized the people that came to help him renovate him new home, even if her didn't know almost any of them personally.

The first behind Sakura were her team-mates, Yondaime's blond son and a pale dark-haired youth that fired insults at the orange-clad shinobi beside him. Kakashi would have to make sure to have a serious word with Minato's only child about their profession and why orange wasn't a color they should wear. After he got to know the boy, of course. Then there was the Nara boy, looking like he'd kill to be anywhere but here, beside him was one that could only be from the Akimichi Clan, then a boy with a huge white dog and the tell-tale markings of the Inuzuka Clan, the younger version of the Aburame Clan Head, two members of the Hyuuga Clan, a boy that looked and behaved frighteningly like his 'friend' and occasional rival Maito Gai and two more girls, one platinum blond, the other brunette with two small buns on top of her head. But the biggest surprise were the two older man entering the last, his kohai from ANBU days Tenzou and his closest friend Shiranui Genma.

And it was Genma that spoke first, "Kakashi, you old dog! You didn't even bother to tell your friends that you were back! I found out from my girl, who gushed about how attractive the mysterious Copy Ninja was!"

"Shiranui," Kakashi nodded with a small hidden smirk. "I wasn't sure if you weren't dead by now," he dead-panned and Tenzou laughed slightly while Genma glared at him mockingly. The younger group just looked on without comprehension, not really getting what was happening around them.

Kakashi din't blame them, with Genma in tow things tended to get out of hand pretty fast.

"Cute, Hatake. Really cute," retorted the brunette trouble-maker before going over to Sakura laying an arm around her shoulders. The kunoichi arched one eyebrow at him but stayed silent as he continued his conversation with Kakashi. "Sakura-chan here hoarded the lot of us up to help renovate an apartment for a friend of hers, but she failed to say that it was for you."

At this Kakashi too arched an eyebrow, but didn't let Genma one up him. "Why is that important? Would you have refused to come if you'd known it was for me?"

Genma made a show of scratching his bandana covered haired while he set his attractive features into a thoughtful grimace. "Well—" he started but Sakura interrupted but throwing his arm off her shoulder and glaring at the both of them.

"Really you guys, tease each other into oblivion _after_ we've made this place inhabitable. Now behave like grown ups and get your greetings out of the way so we can start working. And Genma, one more quip out of your big mouth and I'm telling Shizune about the stunt you pulled two months ago while she was away on a mission."

The brunette playboy paled instantly and brought his hands up, pleading with the young medic. "I was drunk, Sakura-chan! And it was Raidou's fault that he invited that girl and showed up with another. You know that nothing happened. Please don't tell Shizune! I promise I'll be good!"

"Fine, fine!" she brushed him off irritably. "Now get to work! All of you!"

The ninja in the room seemed to tremble at her command and a moment later they were bustling around, gathering whatever they needed to start working on what she ordered them to do, dispersing into the other rooms without much complaint.

An hour later everybody was laboring away at their assigned tasks, talking quietly among themselves and occasionally leaving their posts to refill buckets of water or get another pain-can or cleaning supply. Kakashi, perched on a ladder beside Sakura as they painted the ceiling a muted off-white, marveled at the pink-haired girl's ability to get so many people to do her bidding so easily. When _he_ tried to get someone to do something for him he either had to bribe or black-mail them.

"Say Sakura," he started quietly while moving the brush above his head with practiced ease. "How did you get all of them to get here and help?"

She looked at him for a moment and smiled, before she turned back to her own brush. "Kakashi, my shishou is Tsunade, and I've learned more than just her healing techniques while training with her. When I threaten to beat the lot of them to a pulp if they don't do as I say, they know that I have the drive and the ability to do it, too." And she threw him a sweet grin.

The Copy Ninja was left asking himself if being attracked to her was such a good thing. Here was a girl that could do away with his life and reputation in a second if he ever displeased her enough. And given his record with relationships...

Sakura broke his musings as she chuckled to herself and continued, "But that wasn't necessary. I just asked them, we're all friends and have been since our genin days. We do everything to help each other without question. Some of them may really be a little afraid of me, mostly Naruto, but they know I'd never seriously hurt any of them, even when I'm angry and promising to turn one of them into mince-meat. But that's usually Naruto's fault anyway, so he gets beaten and everything's okay."

He smiled at her and squeezed the hand closest to him in thanks. Yes, she was terrifying in some aspects, and yes her temper was way too short and Tsunade must have been either drunk or crazy when she'd taught this girl how to become inhumanely strong, but Sakura's heart was in the right place and he knew that if ever needed her she would be there, watching his back for him. And that was all he needed to know to trust her.

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><p><strong>AN:  Hmm, not much happening here, just a filler chapter. But the next one will be longer and back on track with plot, so don't worry.**

**Really sorry for the long wait, but we were effectivečy snowed in the past month and we barely had electricity, not to mention a working internet connection. I promise the next update will come come timely next month.  
><strong>

**Please enjoy and leave a review or two to tell me how you liked it. If you have questions, just ask, I'll be glad to answer them as long don't give away what will be happening in the future.**

**Jas**


	3. Chapter 3

**Part III**

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><p>His blissful (more or less), two weeks of rest were swiftly approaching their end and Kakashi was slightly dismayed to realize that in three days he would be put on the active mission roster again. He <em>wanted<em> to go on missions and fulfill his duty to the village, but after ten years of a strictly civilian lifestyle, he was a little afraid that he might not be of much use on the battlefield.

That was bull of course, because living undercover as a civilian or not, Kakashi had trained diligently every single morning before going to work and evening after returning home. But training with himself and bunshins was vastly different from an actual fight and that was where most of his trepidation came from.

So he decided to ask Sakura to train with him before he was sent on the field again and possibly endangered a mission or whomever he would be going with.

The pink-haired kunoichi had stayed by his side from their first meeting, helped him get used to Konoha again and reacquaint himself with the people he knew and meeting everybody and anybody she was friends or acquaintances with. No need to mention that those people included half the male population of Konoha and most of them looked at him like they wanted to cut his head or balls off for stealing their favorite medic's time and affection.

Sakura on the other hand, spent her every free minute with him for one reason or another, especially after all her friends had helped him renovate his new apartment in less than three days. Kakashi was extremely grateful, the petite girl had also given him a chance to get to know his sensei's son, and that was something the Copy Ninja couldn't express enough thankfulness for.

Though Naruto had turned out to be very different from what he had expected, Kakashi was overwhelmed by what a man Minato's orphaned child had become. Naruto would be Hokage one day of that the man of a thousand jutsu had no doubt.

Training with Sakura was something Kakashi had envisioned to be anything but what it really was. The medic's fighting style was exactly like her personality, direct, brash, eye opening and more often than not deadly. The first time she'd sunk a crater beneath his feet with her bare hands and promptly trapped him in it, Kakashi had admitted that it would be difficult to beat her in a sparring session. In a real fight, he would probably stand no chance against her destructive power and she would own him before he could use a single jutsu. She was insanely strong and very, very fast, combined with her quick wit and the ability to think and strategize on her feet, the girl could be a small army all on herself.

Her only week points were ninjutsu, since she knew very few of them outside of the medical field, but she covered that with first-class taijutsu, her natural affinity and huge knowledge of genjutsu and the top-notch evasiveness and defense of a filed medic. All in all, she'd more than earned her Jonin status and S ranking. When he'd asked her why she hadn't considered joining ANBU, the pinkette had answered that she liked saving lives more than taking them. He hadn't asked about it again. His own past in the organization had taught him that some people were not meant for the Black Ops, powerful and gifted or not. ANBU were a sadistic bunch, their missions made them so, and he really didn't wish that on anybody.

That said, he might have to return to ANBU... The Hokage had hinted something like that on their last meeting three days ago ad he still had to wrap his head around it as he climbed the stairs to yet another meeting with the busty blond.

He'd wanted to throw in a sparring session before having to talk with Tsunade but he'd been unable to find Sakura and though Naruto and Genma, who'd been the Kyuubi container and Sakura's very first sensei, had both offered to train with him, he'd declined. He didn't know Naruto well enough yet, and from what Sakura had told him, engaging in a fight with the blonde was attempting suicide as it is, Kakashi didn't feel ready to throw his life away so early. And as for Genma... Well let's just say that sparring with a man who knew the woman you wanted vastly better and had no qualms about using that knowledge against you was not Kakashi's idea of a fun time.

Genma's lover, as different from her brunette counterpart as day was from night, sat at her desk in the Hokage's antechamber and greeted him with a smile, like usual.

"Good morning, Kakashi-san."

"Good morning, Shizune-san. Say you don't happen to know where Sakura might be, do you?"

Shizune looked at his strangely for a moment, before smiling again. "You just missed her, Kakashi-san. She went home to pack. Sakura–chan is going out on mission with Ino-chan and Hinata-chan in a few hours and won't be back for five weeks at least. They're delivering something to Suna."

"It doesn't take five week to go to Suna and come back," he reasoned, disappointed that he won't be seeing the pink-haired medic for so long."

"Of course not," retorted Shizune primly, "but Sakura-chan and Gaara-sama the Kazekage are very good friends and he requested she stay for a while in Suna. Ino-chan and Hinata-chan are returning right away. Just yesterday, Sakura-chan told me that she'd been thinking about taking a few weeks vacation time to go visit Gaara-sama and his siblings and this morning a letter from him arrives! Such a weird coincidence. But anyway, Tsunade-sama is waiting for you, Kakashi-san."

The Copy Ninja had a feeling that there was much more to this story than Shizune was letting on, but he'd ponder on it after he'd rushed through this meeting with Tsunade. He'd just agree with whatever the woman wanted and be out of there to catch Sakura before she left. Hopefully.

* * *

><p>What Shizune had failed to mention, or wasn't allowed most likely, was that Sakura's mission wasn't as easy as she'd made it sound at first. True, she and her friends were to deliver an important scroll to the Kazekage and return to the village immediately, without Sakura. Gaara had personally asked for the pink-haired medic to be on the team sent to Suna and then ventured to seek permission for Sakura to remain in the desert village longer for <em>personal<em> reasons. Kakashi didn't know the red-head, but he already disliked him.

That's where he came in. Gaara's personal reasons turned out to be a mission only a medic of Sakura's qualifications could complete. Tsunade allowed Sakura this little mission for the Kazekage without second thought, but out of concern for her pink-haired protégé, she put in a condition for the Kazekage. A Leaf elite shinobi was to accompany Sakura and ensure her safety at all times during this stunt. Gaara had been displeased at first, arguing how he was more than capable of protecting Sakura and that on the off chance that he failed there were his siblings who would watch over Sakura as they did over him. He'd consented only after Tsunade had written him that a Konoha ANBU comes with Sakura or the young medic isn't coming at all.

So he'd been right, Tsunade would force him to return to ANBU. Albeit grudgingly he'd accepted the mission, dreading Sakura's temper when she finds out just why he was coming with them – Tsunade had conveniently not mentioned her condition to her favored student – but he'd complained about being sent back to ANBU right after completing such a lengthy under-cover mission for the ops.

The Hokage had explained that he wouldn't be operating in ANBU anymore once he and Sakura return from their mission to Suna, and had offered to make him a Jounin instructor. He'd told her he'd think about it, but was going to decline either way. The dangerous missions he completed for the Black Ops were a hell of a lot better than three whiny children who thought they could take on the world just because they graduated the ninja academy.

And so he met Sakura's team for their Suna mission, three hours later than he should have shoved up. Needless to say that Sakura was pissed, just like her loud blond friend. They'd both taken turns in scolding him for his tardiness and Sakura had stopped talking to him after they'd forced him to explain why he was even going on this mission with them. Like it was his fault that Tsunade was so overprotective. It's not as if he asked to go with them. But alas, since the Hokage wasn't there, the blame was laid on him and he just had to bear with it.

The journey to Suna was interesting to say the least. Sakura and Ino, he'd learned her name was, kept firing insults back and forth, bickering, and generally being annoying and loud. The third girl, the Hyuuga was quiet most of the time, only speaking when someone asked her something and acting to shy and demure that Kakashi felt like a pervert just by glancing at her. Sakura's personality was bordering on overbearing, Ino was loud, and annoying but even the two of them were better than Hinata. What man could stand to spend a longer span of time around a girl who blushed and stuttered so much.

On their first and last night in the open desert, he happened to overhear a very interesting conversation between Ino and Sakura.

"Just what are you doing, Forehead?" Ino muttered as Sakura stirred the meager fire with a long stick.

The pinkette looked at her childhood friend, back at the fire and answered uncertainly, "Stirring the fire?"

The blond slapped her forehead and sat down next to her. "No, stupid! I mean what are you doing with that hunk of a man Tsunade just happened to sick on you?"

Sakura frowned and violently stabbed the charred wood. "I don't know what you're talking about, Pig. I'm not doing anything with Kakashi. And 'hunk of a man'? Really, Ino."

"Don't give me that look, missy. I know you're attracted to him, hell _Naruto_ knows you really like Kakashi, and he still hasn't noticed Hinata's obvious feelings for him. But you stupid Forehead are just showing that guy your bad side. Which guy would want a girl with such a bad attitude, I mean really. Maybe Kiba found your potty mouth and overall grouchiness hot, but we're talking about a normal guy here! You have to be at your best for him, else the most you can hope is one night of pleasure, the 'wham-bam, thank you ma'am' kind and nothing more!"

For a moment, Kakashi thought the pulsing vein on Sakura's temple would burst and Ino would find herself with a bump the size of Pakkun's head, but the medic took a deep breath and swallowed her anger.

"Listen here, Ino. I don't want anything from Kakashi. I may find him hot, who wouldn't, but that doesn't mean I lust after him. Besides another relationship that's gonna fall apart in a matter of weeks is the last thing I need. His friendship is more than good enough for me. I'm not as man crazy as you. And I thought I asked you not to mention Kiba to me again, Pig!"

Ino sighed and shook her blond head at her best friend. "Yeah, yeah, you keep telling yourself that, Sakura. Whatever helps you sleep at night. But be honest with yourself and at least admit that you wouldn't mind sharing something more that friendship with Kakashi. He's the first guy you showed any real interest besides Gaara-sama, that is, after Sasuke. I at least think that he's gonna be good for you. But with your current behavior you're just going to drive him away. Don't let a failed relationship or two screw up your whole love life, it's simply not worth it."

"It's not that easy, Ino." Sakura whispered so softly that even his ears almost didn't catch what she was saying. "Every time I like a man and think, it might just work this time, something happens and I end up alone and heartbroken. Sasuke just started paying some attention to me, Oroshimaru shows up, and the baka leaves me on a bench after knocking me out cold. Kotetsu had so many commitment issues that I don't even want to think about it. And Itachi... Well let's just say that was all one huge mistake and leave it at that. Gaara is the only one who seemed genuinely interested in me too, but there are simply too many reasons why it wouldn't work out between us even if you ignore the difference in our ranks. And Kiba is something I really just want to forget. I think I was drunk or on drugs when I agreed to date him."

Pausing for a moment, the pinkette stared at fire before turning to Ino again. "Kakashi is the type of person that I can't help but feel drawn to. Even if you ignore his good looks and overall charm there's just something about him that fascinates me. I want to know more and more about him, I want to be closer to him, like two opposite ends of a magnet. But at the same time I'm afraid. He's fourteen years older than me, not that I mind our age difference, but he might. Besides, I'm just a young, immature girl with an explosive temper that tends to get bossy. I'm not even beautiful, just average pretty. The only thing I have going for me are my medic skills and that fact that I'm smarter than the average kunoichi. Other than that, I have no good points. So what would a man like him want from me of all people? It's better not to get to close to him. It'll hurt less when he gets bored of me and simply disappears like every other guy I ever liked."

Seeing the sad and insecure look in the medic's bottle green eyes, Ino hugged her closest friend from behind and rested her platinum head on Sakura's back. "Geez you're so stupid, Forehead. Stupid and blind. But I'll let it go for now. We'll talk about this again, some other time."

"Yeah. Thanks, Pig."

* * *

><p>"Sakura!" called out a big, tattooed man, before scooping the petite medic into his embrace and lifting her, a foot off the ground.<p>

Sakura laughed and hugged the man back just as warmly. "Kankurou! Nice to see you so energetic!"

Kakashi looked at the man dressed in black and concluded that this wouldn't be the esteemed Kazekage. On the man's left stood a striking blond woman with four pigtails, shining teal eyes and a huge fan strapped to her back. On the man's right side stood a smaller and seemingly younger man with cool jade eyes, vividly red, disheveled hair and a tattoo with of the kanji for 'love' on his forehead.

Before the Copy Ninja could ponder the identity of those people, Sakura let the tattooed man go and turned to the redhead that smirked lightly as he looked Sakura in the eyes. The pinkette smiled wildly and walked towards the man, stretching both her hands out and taking his for a more than friendly squeeze. "Gaara!" she exclaimed softly. "It's so good to see you again after such a long time."

The Kazekage's smirk widened as he squeezed Sakura's hands in return. "Sakura," he greeted more sedately, but warmly. "It is good to see you as well. Allow me to welcome you and your team to Sunagakure."

"Thank you," she smiled then turned to her team. "You remember Ino and Hinata, right?" At the Kazekage's polite nod, she continued, "And this is Hatake Kakashi-san, Konoha's famed Copy Ninja and the only Sharingan wielder who doesn't belong to the Uchiha Clan." With that, she looked at Kakashi and gestured to the redhead beside her. "Kakashi, this Gaara-sama, the Godaime Kazekage of Sunagakure. He's my age and the youngest Kazekage ever. These are his siblings," she motioned to the other two. "Kankurou-san, who is a puppet master and Temari-san, the wind mistress of Suna."

"Nice to meet you all," Kakashi muttered awkwardly, not sure of how to behave in front the young leader of Suna, or even Sakura after overhearing her conversation with Ino the night before.

"Let us go inside, it is unwise to dwell outside the walls too long these days," said Gaara, speaking almost only to Sakura as he was turned fully to the medic and largely ignoring the rest of them. It irked Kakashi a little, but he didn't really have any idea why that was.

"Sure!" agreed Sakura readily, wiping sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand. "I've forgotten just how hot Suna is. Let's go inside and get something cold to drink, I'm parched."

Gaara nodded and extended his hand towards the long, steep hallway in-between the looming stonewalls of Suna. "Well than, please proceed."

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><p>The Kazekage Tower, if one could even call it a tower, was very different from the Hokage Tower back in Konoha. It was for once, built from sand and stone and dome-shaped like all the other buildings in this small, dry, and depressing town. How people could live here and not suffer constant depressions, Kakashi didn't understand.<p>

The Kazekage and his siblings were as stoic and professional as one would expect from ninja of their ranks, but the Copy Ninja could see the repressed grin on the puppet-master's face and the mischievous twinkle's in Temari's teal eyes. Gaara however remained emotionless and rigid. It was in a ninja's nature to be weary of strangers and it was a job hazard that you almost never trust anyone you didn't know and work with for years. But the distrust towards them the Kazekage displayed was a bit exaggerated.

"Gaara, I think we need to talk..." Sakura muttered quietly and the Kazekage's piercing gaze sharpened on her before he nodded quickly.

"Leave us," he intoned, glancing at his sister. The blond woman gave him a knowing look and ushered the other four out of the room. Kakashi glanced back one last time before the heavy double doors closed on the rigidly straight back of the petite medic he'd gotten to know and like since he came back to Konoha.

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><p><strong>AN: Chapter 3 done! I hope it meets up with your expectations and you will stay tuned for the next part.<strong>

**All comments, constructive criticism and questions and welcome and encouraged. I always strive to better myself and my writing, your reviews fuel my passion for writing and force me to go over my limits, so hopefully this story will become better and better the more you comment on it and my writing in general.**

**ATTENTION: _I'M IN DIRE NEED OF A GOOD BETA FOR THIS STORY, SINCE MY USUAL EDITOR IS TOO BUSY WITH ANOTHER LITTLE PROJECT OF MINE. IF ANYONE OF YOU IS INTERESTED PLEASE REVIEW, PM OR E-MAIL ME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME._**

**Jas**


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